"We took a decision to suspend the license of some satellite channels that adopted language encouraging violence and sectarianism," Mujahid Abu al-Hail, a top official in the Communications and Media Commission, told Agence France-Presse. "It means stopping their work in Iraq and their activities, so they cannot cover events in Iraq or move around."

The decision comes are five days of unrest killed more than 215 people. Security forces and Sunni Arab anti-government protesters clashed in northern Iraq on Tuesday, starting off the deadly week. The fighting has raised fears that the country will return to sectarian conflict, which ran rampant across Iraq in the past and killed tens of thousands.